An exceptionally fine release from Somm of Piano Quintets by David Matthews and Dmitri Shostakovich performed by the Villiers String Quartet with pianist Martin Cousin

A new release from Somm Recordings www.somm-recordings.com  by the Villiers String Quartet www.villiersquartet.com with pianist Martin Cousin www.martincousin.com  brings together Piano Quintets by David Matthews and Dmitri Shostakovich.

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Both the Villiers Quartet and pianist Martin Cousin have received much acclaim over recent years. The Villiers won the First Prize of the 2015 Radcliffe Chamber Music Competition, and is Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Oxford. Martin Cousin was the 1st Prize winner at the 2005 Ettore Pozzoli International Piano Competition (Seregno, Italy) and Gold Medal winner at the 2003 Royal Over-Seas League Music Competition (London).

David Matthews’ (b.1943) http://david-matthews.co.uk Piano Quintet, Op.92 was written in 2004 and premiered at the Reardon Smith Theatre in the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff by the Emperor Quartet with the pianist Ian Fountain. In four movements the Praeludio: Moderato con moto opens with piano chords along with long drawn string chords before a lovely melody is quickly found by the strings based on the opening sequence. The music expands with a gentle piano line through the most exquisite passages, the strings and piano having a fine dialogue before rising in passion.  Martin Cousin brings some very fine piano passages, the strings later finding a darker and more reflective frame of mind. There are some very lovely string textures around the piano line before the quite lovely coda.

Tango: Urgente brings one of Matthews’ favourite rhythms, a tango that nevertheless is varied quite remarkably as it builds in strength and power. The strings weave some terrific lines around the piano bringing a fine intensity. There are some particularly fine piano phrases as well as string harmonics and slides as the tango rhythm pushes back into full view briefly before the sudden end.

The Ciaccona: Largo opens with a slow pulse from the piano and cello and a longer line from the viola before expanding as this heartfelt melody unfolds. Strings weave some fine individual parts as this music progresses with the piano always keeping the pulse. The quartet achieves some really lovely higher string sonorities, rising through some staccato and pizzicato passages of more force before a gentle conclusion.

The Canto: Allegretto giocoso brings a lovely forward flow, a sense of open spaces and joy. There is soon a slow gentle moment before the flow attempts to regain momentum only to slow for a lovely section with pizzicato strings.  The breezy momentum is eventually found again before building some terrific, exhilarating moments up until the sudden coda.

This is a terrific piano quintet that can easily stand comparison with any of the other great British works in this genre.

After the poor critical reception of his Sixth Symphony in 1939 Dmitri Shostakovich’s (1906-1975) wrote ‘…my heart is heavy. Age, nerves, all this tells.’ However, it didn’t prevent him working on his next major composition, his Piano Quintet, Op.57, first performed in Moscow in September 1940 by the Beethoven Quartet with the composer as pianist. This time there were uniformly enthusiastic responses. Martin Cousin provides a powerful piano opening to the first of the five movements, the Prelude: Lento to which the Villiers String Quartet adds their passionate voice. When these players develop the theme they bring a myriad of emotions, as well as colours and textures, rising through passages of outstanding drama and passion.

The Fugue. Adagio opens with a quizzical theme that is built through the strings as a fugue develops its melancholy theme. Soon the piano joins to take the theme, the strings rejoining to add their wistful sound. The music builds in drama and passion in the strings with the piano weaving around the strings. These players bring a great power and depth of expression with some beautifully produced harmonies and textures as the movement progresses to a wonderfully judged coda.

The Scherzo: Allegretto brings a scherzo so typical of this composer, full of energy and humour, yet often ambiguous in its underlying intension. These players really drive the music through passages of terrific energy and virtuosity, finding all of Shostakovich’s wit and bite.

A wistful melody for violin over pizzicato cello weaves ahead in the opening of the Intermezzo: Lento before being expanded as the other strings join. When the piano enters it brings a lovely gentle line as together they take this often tragic melody slowly forward, producing some really lovely sounds, beautifully controlled. The music rises in strength to an impassioned peak before falling back to a finely controlled, hushed coda and into the last movement.

The Finale: Allegretto quickly bubbles up into a faster moving theme with a fine flow, soon developing Shostakovich’s brittle nature. It builds in power as these fine players push ahead through passages of tremendous strength. The music slows to bring back a sense of passionate angst, finely brought out as these players find every nuance, the light and dark of this movement, before finding the strange little coda.

This is an exceptionally fine release. The recording made at the Jacqueline du Pré Music Building, St. Hilda’s College, Oxford, England is first rate and there are useful booklet notes from David Matthews and Robert Matthew-Walker.

See also:

David Matthews

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/first-class-performances-from-ben.html

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/david-matthews-essays-tributes-and.html

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/proms-2013-david-matthews-premiere.html

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/david-matthews-piano-concerto-and-piano.html

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/celebrating-british-music-part-6.html

Shostakovich

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/andris-nelsons-and-boston-symphony.html

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/terrific-performances-on-cello-sonatas.html

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/the-legendary-borodin-quartet-sign-to.html

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/a-highly-recommendable-new-recording-of.html

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/an-impressive-shostakovichs-seventh.html

The Gringolts Quartet with second cellist, Christian Poltéra provide a very fine disc for BIS of String Quintets by Taneyev and Glazunov that deserve to be better known

An important figure in Russian music, Sergei Taneyev (1856-1915) studied at the Moscow Conservatory with Nicolai Rubinstein and Tchaikovsky, later becoming its director. His pupils included Scriabin, Rachmaninov and Gliere. Unlike The Five or Mighty Handful, the group of five Russian composers consisting of César Cui, Alexander Borodin, Mily Balakirev, Modest Mussorgsky and Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, Taneyev was drawn to Western influences such as Bach and the Renaissance contrapuntalists.

His works include opera, choral works, orchestral works including four symphonies, chamber and instrumental works including eleven string quarters and three quintets.

It is his String Quintet No.1 that the Gringolts Quartet www.gringoltsquartet.com with second cellist, Christian Poltéra www.christianpoltera.com have recorded for BIS Records www.bis.se coupled with Alexander Glazunov’s String Quintet in A major.

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Dating from 1901, Sergei Taneyev’s String Quintet No.1 in G major, Op.14 was revised before its publication on 1904.

Gringolts Quartet and Christian Poltéra bring a fine fluency and lovely shaping to the Allegro con spirito, finding so many little details as the music dashes ahead. These players provide some lovely textures in the quieter moments, exhibiting terrific control as this music rises and falls, a tautness that is rather fine, revealing all of the quickly changing facets of this music.

The Vivace con fuoco brings some incisive playing, though never with any rough edges, always retaining a fine texture. Their ensemble is superb as they tautly move around every twist and turn. There are some lovely little moments part way, often gentler and quieter before the quintet builds again through some incisive passages, before a sudden acceleration to the coda.

They introduce a lovely wistful melody as they open the Tema con variazioni – bringing a beautifully light texture with some exquisitely turned phrases, lightly pointed up as these variations progress. They bring a great vibrancy with some beautifully done light bowing. There are beautiful textures as well as moments of fleeting delicacy as well as some exquisitely turned phrases. There is passion and emotion and richer sonorities, in fact all you could wish for in these finely conceived variations, each player adding to the quite lovely textures before weaving a beautiful fugue in the penultimate variation.  There is a brief quote from Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera, Sadko as the final variation is reached, a gentler variation, with some lovely little textural details.

This is a very fine performance indeed of an attractive work in which these players find many beautiful moments.

If Taneyev was central to musical life in Moscow, it was Alexander Glazunov (1865-1936) that held a position of equal importance in the musical life of St. Petersburg. He studied privately with Rimsky-Korsakov and had his first symphony performed when aged just 16 years. He became Director of the St. Petersburg Conservatory in 1905 and remained there until leaving the Soviet Union in 1928. His only stage works were ballets of which the most well-known is The Seasons (1900). He went on to complete eight symphonies, with a ninth left incomplete, as well as a large number of other orchestral works including two piano concertos and his often performed Concerto in A minor for violin and orchestra (1904). He also wrote choral works and instrumental works as well as chamber works that include seven string quartets.

Alexander Glazunov’s String Quintet in A major, Op.39 dates from 1891/1892 placing it between his third and fourth symphonies. It was premiered at one of the regular Friday evening concerts held at the house of businessman, music publisher and supporter of Russian music, Mitrofan Belyayev (1836-1904).

In four movements, the quintet opens with a finely shaped Allegro where this quintet brings their fine sonority before rising in some gently passionate phrases. There are some wonderfully turned faster passages with this quintet finding a lovely ebb and flow. They often find a sparkle, a real joy in the many sunny moments.

The Scherzo. Allegro moderato brings gentle pizzicato phrases over a longer held line, delicately and beautifully done, delightfully played. The music slows to more of a walking pace as a note of seriousness intrudes but is interrupted by a faster passage, becoming a little more light-hearted. These players bring a really taut vibrancy before a pizzicato passage brings the coda.

There is a beautifully drawn, nostalgic opening to the Andante Sostenuto, rising quickly through the most lovely moments as the melody grows, these players finding some lovely rich, glowing textures and sonorities. Indeed they find a variety of textures as they bring a lovely control to the ever changing emotional expression.

They move ahead purposefully in the Finale. Allegro moderato with finely incisive playing and terrific ensemble as this movement develops. They achieve a fine rhythmic pulse through faster passages before arriving at a lovely gentler moment with a beautifully controlled flow. The music soon picks up to move quickly to the coda.

This is a very fine disc of two Russian works that deserve to be better known.  These artists receive a clear and detailed recording from the SRF Studio, Zürich, Switzerland and there are useful booklet notes. 

See also: 

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/a-cello-tone-to-relish-from-christian.html

A beautifully thought out performance of Brahms’ Piano Concerto No.1 from Paul Lewis, impressive in its restrained power on a new release from Harmonia Mundi

Paul Lewis www.paullewispiano.co.uk has already built up an impressive list of recordings for Harmonia Mundi http://store.harmoniamundi.com/classical-music.html not the least of which is his superb series of Schubert sonatas. Now for Harmonia Mundi he turns to Brahms, tackling the formidable First Piano Concerto along with the Ballades Op. 10. For the concerto he is joined by the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2555&artikel=1174215 under their Music Director Daniel Harding www.danielharding.com

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Daniel Harding and the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra bring a stormy opening to the Maestoso of Brahms’ Piano Concerto No.1 in D minor, op.15, gritty, full of stress and intense drama. Even when the orchestra introduction gives way to gentler music there is a feeling of intense restrained power. When Paul Lewis enters he brings a level headed, fairly restrained approach, yet when the music swells up he rises with a strength that is impressive. His control and restraint bring rewards allowing him to find the poetry and restrained emotion that lurks within. He finds a gentleness not often revealed. Harding and the orchestra also reveal some particularly fine gentler, more poetic moments. Lewis brings some exquisitely shaped phrases and, when the music rises again the underlying power is all the more impressive for the contrast. This pianist’s light fluent touch is a delight, as is the orchestra’s often fleet playing. Each climax seems to add power with some beautifully shaped orchestral phrases. They move through some beautifully hushed moments before rising thrillingly to lead to the powerful coda.

The Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra brings a gloriously shaped opening to the Adagio. When Lewis enters he brings a finely considered approach, beautifully phrased and paced, slowly revealing Brahms’ fine harmonies. Harding’s orchestral accompaniment is often quite magical. Both bring a rather other worldly effect, a lovely poetic vision. Lewis finds passages that are subtly firmer, stronger with Harding finely shaping the orchestral passages so well, revealing some lovely Brahmsian instrumental details. They find a suitable darkness as this pianist develops the theme over the basses before returning to the opening calm.

Lewis brings some finely sprung, energetic playing to the Rondo: Allegro ma non troppo finding passages of a more tranquil flowing beauty and revealing his fine rubato as he shapes the music. There are orchestral passages where Harding and the orchestra bring a slight portamento that all adds a real character. Lewis pushes forward through some tremendously fluent passages that bubble with life. There is a very fine cadenza that is finely shaped and some fine breadth before this pianist moves through some wonderfully fluent passages to a truly formidable coda.  

Paul Lewis’ innate musicianship always shines through in this beautifully thought out performance, impressive in its restrained power.  

The four Ballades, Op.10 open with an exquisitely laid out Andante. Here Lewis is particularly in his element, finding so many lovely moments, building through some stunningly powerful passages whilst finding lovely little rhythmic details. There is a lovely flow to the Andante, this pianist finding a rather nostalgic air. He builds subtly yet purposefully through some wonderful passages, finely shaped with moments of fine luminosity. The Intermezzo - Allegro brings fine rhythmically sprung playing with wonderfully controlled dynamics and some intensely thoughtful passages. There are some quite wonderfully hushed moments, fleeting and elusive at times. Quite wonderful. The Andante con moto rolls forward with a lovely flow, Lewis finding moments of restrained poetry. Here are some wonderfully shaped fluent passages before this quite lovely performance reaches the gentle coda.

This is the Lewis we have got to know through his Schubert.

The concerto is vividly recorded at the Stockholm Berwaldhallen and the Ballades receive a nicely rounded, warm toned recording with plenty of detail made in the Teldex Studio, Berlin. There are excellent booklet notes. 

This is a formidable Brahms disc from Lewis.

Diana Boyle breathes fresh life into Mozart’s piano sonatas on a new release from Divine Art

Pianist Diana Boyle www.dianaboyle.com was born in London and educated at St Paul’s Girls' School and as a Foundation Scholar at the Royal College of Music. In 1970 she continued her studies under Enrique Barenboim in Tel Aviv and, in 1973, was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study with Artur Balsam in New York.

After making her London recital debut in 1979 she gave concerts in the USA, Canada, Spain, Portugal and England. She also taught piano and chamber music in London and in the USA. In 1987, Diana Boyle was invited to make a series of recordings for National Public Radio in Boston, including performances of the Bach Partitas. In 1990 Diana Boyle returned to the Bach Partitas, recording this time at Forde Abbey in Dorset, England for Integra Records.

Since then Diana Boyle has recorded Bach’s Well Tempered Clavier Book 2 for Metier (MSVCD 2002) and Bach’s Art of Fugue for Divine Art (dda 25097).

Now from Divine Art Recordings www.divine-art.co.uk/DAhome.htm  comes a 2 CD release of piano sonatas by Mozart.

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Diana Boyle opens Disc 1 with Mozart’s Piano Sonata in C major, K.279 providing a lovely clarity to the Allegro, assisted enormously by the wonderfully clear and detailed recording. She brings the feeling of discovery, new delights at every turn, wonderfully phrased, finding new ways to explore this music. There is a quite exquisite, thoughtful Andante, intimate in its gentle delicate beauty and a wonderfully, finely pointed, rhythmic Allegro, again beautifully shaped and often with a rather nonchalant spring to her playing, finding many little details.

The Allegro of the Piano Sonata in G major, K.283 brings a wonderfully intimate performance with a lovely flow, finely phrased with some exquisite little details where every note is finely shaped. The Andante slowly reveals Mozart’s well constructed phrases with a beautifully judged tempo, finding every nuance. There is a terrific rhythmic spring to the Presto yet observing every little variation of tempo and dynamic. There are passages of fine Mozartian forward drive but always with terrific clarity before a wonderful conclusion to this sonata.

Diana Boyle brings a jewel like, delicate purity to the Allegro moderato of the Piano Sonata in C major, K.330. Such clarity allows every little turn and harmonic shift to be clearly heard. There is a gloriously drawn Andante cantabile with this pianist finding a subtly poignant emotion as she very slowly reveals Mozart’s lovely creation. Finally there is a nice, crisp Allegretto with some finely done left hand phrases, wonderfully fluent yet with a clear and crisp rhythm.

Boyle brings some fine dramatic phrases to launch the Molto allegro of the Piano Sonata in C minor, K.457, her clarity and purity still adding so much, a lovely delicate fluency with some richer textures at times. The Adagio of this sonata is probably the slowest and most idiosyncratic of all, often stretching Mozart’s ideas to the extreme, yet revealing so much in its beautifully shaped form, almost as though the composer is sitting at the piano trying out ideas. It certainly builds a mesmerising intensity. The Allegro assai picks up a fine tempo with some wonderfully fluent phrases, rolling forward through passages that are finely shaped and phrased with a rubato, before finding some moments of quiet repose before the coda.

Disc: 2 opens with the Piano Sonata in B flat major, K.281 and an Allegro that brings a forward rolling fluency before picking up Mozart’s lovely rhythmic theme. There is such exquisite care of dynamics and phrasing and again that pin point clarity. This pianist brings an nicely shaped opening to the Andante amoroso, Boyle finding every little detail with terrific phrasing and dynamics, soon finding a gentle flow with subtle little variations of rhythm and tempo. The Rondeau: Allegro has a lovely tempo, never rushed, allowing Mozart’s every detail to emerge.

Diana Boyle carefully develops the Adagio of the Piano Sonata in E flat major, K.282, slowly gaining in tempo to achieve a wonderfully crystalline flow. Menuetto I has a lovely rhythmic skip, Boyle’s light touch bringing a rather special quality, clear and crisp. Menuetto II achieves more of a flow yet still with some quite lovely rhythmic variations. The Allegro has a good forward moving flow with some fine harmonies revealed by this pianist.

The Rondo, K.494 was first performed alone in 1786, whereas the Allegro and Andante, K.533 followed in 1788. Mozart joined the pieces with an expanded K.494 to form the Piano Sonata in F major. The Allegro (K.533) has a faltering rising and falling flow, this pianist finding some lovely phrases with passages of increased dynamic contrast. The Andante (K.533) slowly reveals passages of fine beauty as this pianist slowly develops this exquisite movement with some most lovely phrases as she teases out many lovely Mozartian ideas. She concluded with a crisp, rhythmically pointed Rondeau: Allegretto (K.494) bringing a wonderful clarity with a lovely subtle, delicate flow, revealing this to be a real jewel.

The Allegro of the Piano Sonata in B flat major, K.570 has a lovely slow introduction before finding a rhythmic poise with this pianist’s phrasing, use of dynamics and varied tempi revealing so any lovely facets. She brings gravity to the Adagio, each note carefully considered with moments of light and gentle rhythmic bounce, quite exquisitely done. She brings her really fine crisp and buoyant playing to the Allegretto with some lovely left hand phrases.  

Diana Boyle breathes fresh life into these sonatas. It is true that occasionally her approach is rather idiosyncratic but always supremely musical. Those who expect their Mozart to be more muscular will want to look elsewhere but for me this is not what these sonatas are about. These fine performances take a welcome place on my shelves. 

She receives an excellent recording full of detail and presence, with her piano tone perfectly caught. There are notes in the form of an interview with the pianist.

Absolutely terrific performances of Schumann’s Cello Concerto and Piano Trio No.1 from cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras, violinist Isabelle Faust and pianist Alexander Melnikov concluding their Schumann Trilogy for Harmonia Mundi

Harmonia Mundi http://store.harmoniamundi.com/classical-music.html have just released the final instalment of their Schumann Trilogy project conceived by cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras www.jeanguihenqueyras.com , violinist Isabelle Faust http://artsmg.com/Strings/IsabelleFaust/index.html and pianist  Alexander Melnikov http://www.artsmg.com/Piano/AlexanderMelnikov whereby his works for piano, violin and cello could be placed in a broader context by recording each with one of the composer’s concertos.

They soon decided to play the works on these recordings using historical instruments, fortepiano, stringed instruments with gut strings and orchestral forces to match. Pablo Heras-Casado http://pabloherascasado.com and the Freiburger Barockorchester www.barockorchester.de were chosen as the partners for this project.

This first volume brought these artists together for Schumann’s Violin Concerto in D minor coupled with the Piano Trio no.3 op.110 (1 CD + DVD - HMC902196). Next came the Piano Concerto in A minor, Op.54 with the Piano Trio No.2 in F major, Op.80 (1 CD + DVD - HMC902198).

Now from Harmonia Mundi http://store.harmoniamundi.com/classical-music.html comes Schumann’s Cello Concerto in A minor, Op.129 with the Piano Trio No.1 in D minor, Op.63 which, as with the two previous releases in this series, comes with a bonus DVD.

CD + DVD
HMC 902197

The year 1850 was a good one for Robert Schumann (1810-1856), a year that brought the completion of his Faust music, his songs Opp. 77, 83, 87, 89, 90 and 96, his Symphony in E flat major ‘Rhenish’ and his Cello Concerto in A minor, Op.129.

Here Jean-Guihen Queyras weaves some lovely textures with the Freiburger Barockorchester in the opening of the concertos Nicht zu schnell, rising through a vibrant, beautifully transparent orchestral passage, bringing some exquisite moments as he finds his way through Schumann’s twists and turns. He provides lightly sprung timbres with both he and the orchestra alive to every dynamic. They often bring a chamber like intimacy to this music with some beautifully shaped phrases and a fine, close partnership between soloist and orchestra. Queyras brings a playful sense of enjoyment as he shapes and springs some of the little phrases. Pablo Heras-Casado and the orchestra bring some beautifully Schumannesque broader orchestral passages before gently slipping into the second movement.

Queyras provides a lovely gentle cello line over a quietly rhythmic orchestra in the Langsam, this cellist drawing some lovely slowly drawn textures, finding a real sense of wonder as he reveals every nuance and detail before subtly finding a rhythm to lead into the final movement, Sehr lebhaft where cellist and orchestra find a lovely buoyant gently sprung rhythm.  Queyras’ textures, sonorities and dynamics bring this music alive. He has a terrific dialogue with the orchestra whose accompaniment is quite wonderful with some wonderfully vibrant, incisive passages. There is a beautifully done accompanied cadenza where this soloist reveals so many subtleties, before leading quickly to a fine coda.

The Piano Trio No.1 in D minor, Op.63 dates from 1847, the year that also brought the Piano Trio No.2 in F major, Op.80. Alexander Melnikov, Isabelle Faust and Jean-Guihen Queyras bring a finely undulating opening to the Mit Energie und Leidenschaft, with a lovely rubato. As the music rises in passion, a terrific ensemble is revealed as they shape and vary the music to bring out every nuance. Their use of dynamics is superb with the textures of these period instruments adding much. They rise through passages of volatile emotion bringing a quite wonderful blending of textures and timbres. Part way there is a quite lovely hushed passage, beautifully controlled. This trio bring a tremendous emotional strength with fine taut shaping of phrases. Lebhaft, doch nicht zu rasch moves off full of energy and rhythmic buoyancy, these players finding a terrific swagger. They are not only top rate soloists on their own account but they also show their tremendous, instinctive collaborative abilities right up to the beautifully shaped coda.

The violin and piano bring an exquisitely gentle opening to the third movement Langsam, mit inniger Empfindung before the trio slowly and subtly weave Schumann’s fine textures. This trio find a lovely flow with a subtle and gentle swell before leading to the most wonderfully controlled coda and straight into the concluding Mit Feuer that brings a lovely rolling flow, soon rising in passion with some sparkling playing, terrific textures and timbres. These artists bring a superb use of rubato to propel this music forward with a terrific energy, finding some fine textures and sonorities before a brilliant, vibrant coda.

This is an absolutely terrific performance full of poetry, fire and passion.

The recording is excellent as are the booklet notes.

As a substantial bonus this new release comes with a DVD recording of an equally fine live performance of the concerto from the Berliner Philharmonie that receives a rapturous reception.

See also:

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/those-investing-in-alexander-melnikovs.html

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/harmonia-mundi-has-winner-with-pablo.html

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/a-most-desirable-new-release-from.html 

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/a-fabulous-recording-of-bartoks-two.html

The Skylark Vocal Ensemble bring a truly wonderful disc of choral works from composers as diverse as John Tavener, William Schuman and Anna Þorvaldsdóttir for Sono Luminus

A new release from Sono Luminus www.sonoluminus.com entitled Crossing Over features the Skylark Vocal Ensemble www.skylarkensemble.org in compositions that depict the dream state at the end of life. These choral compositions are from around the world and include several world premiere recordings.

CD and Blu-ray Audio
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The Skylark Vocal Ensemble is a chamber choir of professional soloists and music educators from across the United States. Formed in 2011 under the direction of Matthew Guard, Skylark performs innovative programmes that help reinforce the intent of the composers to communicate truths about the human condition. A not-for-profit entity, Skylark also performs educational outreach programs with students across the United States during their concert tours.

Daniel Elder’s (b. 1986) www.danieleldermusic.com  Elegy was inspired by the taps bugle call, played traditionally in the military to signal lights out at the end of the day and now played at military memorials, symbolizing poignantly the closing of the last of days. The Skylark Vocal Ensemble bring some quite lovely harmonies out of which soloists rise up bringing the most exquisitely shaped phrases before the choir lead us to a beautifully hushed coda. This is a remarkably lovely piece.

John Tavener’s (1944- 2013) http://johntavener.com  Butterfly Dreams is an eight movement dream-state piece composed in 2003 setting a variety of texts. It opens with the title piece Butterfly Dreams based on texts by Chuang Tse, weaving some lovely long lines with beautiful harmonies and subtly shifting harmonies.  

Haiku by Kokku brings more of Tavener’s distinctive subtly shifting harmonies before Haiku by Buson where this choir achieves a lovely balance between upper female voices and the lower layer of choral sound in this fine piece. Haiku by Issa is a faster piece that consists of a series of four repeated sequences that quickly build to a climax, each one adding a subtle increase in textures and power. Very finely sung. Haiku anon is very brief but finds a quite gentle calm, beautifully sung. The Butterfly by Pavel Friedmann rises up suddenly, full of alarm, this choir achieving a fine, brightly toned texture. It falls back briefly before rising up again, juxtaposing a calmer nature against its more anxious nature. Butterfly Song from Acoman Indian finds a repose as the music gently, slowly and thoughtfully moves forward. Finally Butterfly Dreams based on Chuang Tse brings back more of Tavener’s glorious textures and sonorities, always gentle and subtly shifting, perfectly caught by this terrific choir.

The Russian composer of liturgical music, Nicolai Kedrov (1871-1940) is best known for his setting of Otche Nash. Sung in Russian this choir bring beautifully controlled tempo and dynamics to this gentle setting of the Lord’s Prayer as well as the most lovely sonorities with some fine bass voices at the end. This is a real treasure.

Jón Leifs (1899-1968), was an Icelandic composer, pianist and conductor whose music has recently gained more popularity due to a number of recordings by BIS Records. He spent much of his life in Germany but returned home in 1945, leaving his wife and daughters in Sweden. It was after this move that Leifs’ younger daughter Líf drowned in a swimming accident off the coast of Sweden in 1947. His grief led to the composition of a number of works including his Requiem that sets texts from Icelandic poetry and Magnusarkvioa by Jonas Hallgrimson.

This brief work, sung in Icelandic, has a chant like, slow rhythmic pulse with quite lovely sonorities. There is a finely felt sense of urgent grief in the little dynamic rises to each line and some very fine choral lines over a sustained choral base. This is a quite stunning work, wonderfully sung.

American composer, Robert Vuichard https://twitter.com/robertwv has set poems by John Donne for his Heliocentric Meditation. Female voices open with some fine textures added to by the male voices. There are some lovely dissonances as well as some superb part writing here. The piece subtly increases in dynamics with varied rhythms as the music progresses. There are lovely little surges of voices through fine harmonies with finely shaped passages of rising phrases. This superb choir achieves some spectacularly fine dissonant sonorities with a finely controlled climax toward the calm coda that brings the words ‘Never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee’

William Schuman (1910-1992) www.williamschuman.org set texts by Walt Whitman for his 1958 work for mixed chorus, Carols of Death. There is a finely phrased opening to The Last Invocation as this choir finds its way quite wonderfully through Schuman’s shifting harmonies and varied dynamics. The Unknown Region brings some remarkable ideas as repeated phrases build up a terrific choral texture with this choir bringing the most superb control, finding all the drama. To All, to Each opens on the repeated word ‘come’ before moving forward, weaving some lovely passages with some glorious sonorities in the coda.

The Icelandic composer, Anna Þorvaldsdóttir www.annathorvalds.com is building a fine reputation with her striking compositions. Heyr þú oss himnum á, written in 2005, sets an ancient Icelandic psalm and further indicates what a very fine, gifted composer she is. There are the most lovely harmonies as this setting gently moves forward, subtly gaining in passion, gently rising and falling through the most beautiful passages, so very finely sung by this choir.

Skylark conclude with another work by John Tavener, his Funeral Ikos. It is wonderful how Tavener conjures a great feeling of tradition whilst adding his own distinctive devices. This choir find all the many beauties of this setting, with finely judged tempi and dynamics and lovely harmonies.

It is this choir’s wonderful control and shaping of phrases, as well as its fine sonorities that adds so much to these performances. They receive a first rate recording given the extra presence and depth in the Blu-ray version.

There are very brief booklet notes. Not all texts are given but there are texts for all those works not sung in English. The booklet is beautifully illustrated. 

This is a truly wonderful disc of choral works. 

Live performances that shouldn’t be missed from Martha Argerich and Daniel Barenboim on a new release from Deutsche Grammophon

Those two giants of the music world, Martha Argerich http://marthargerich.blogspot.co.uk and Daniel Barenboim http://danielbarenboim.com were both born in Buenos Aires, Argentina a city to which they returned in the summer of 2015 for a concert at the Teatro Colón that included works for two pianos by Schumann, Debussy and Bartok.

This concert was recorded and is now available on a new release from

Deutsche Grammophon www.deutschegrammophon.com/gb/cat/4795563

479 5563

Robert Schumann’s (1810 - 1856) Six Studies in Canon Form, Op.56 were written in 1845 and later arranged for two pianos by Claude Debussy. Martha Argerich and Daniel Barenboim bring a lovely leisurely flow to the first study, Nicht zu schnell with some beautifully done decorations. These two could easily be one, such is the terrific interweaving of musical lines. Mit innigem Ausdruck again has a fine flow with these two fine musicians gently pointing up every detail bringing a wonderfully subtle rubato in this most beautifully shaped performance.

The Andantino bring a lovely rolling flow with a subtle rhythmic lift and a fine rubato before Innig that has an exquisitely shaped opening, these two providing such a beautifully gentle touch, subtly illuminated by little hints of passion, a passion brought more fully to bear as the study develops, only to find its opening gentle nature to close.

Nicht zu schnell has a tremendously crisp rhythmic touch from this intuitive duo, quite wonderful. They deliver a stately Adagio, weaving the most lovely lines through passages of fine feeling and depth.

Argerich and Barenboim bring some wonderfully florid phrases to Avec emportement that opens Claude Debussy’s (1862 - 1918) own work for two pianos, En blanc et noir. Their quick-fire phrasing, tempi and dynamics are terrific, rising to some quite wonderful dynamic moments. Lent. Sombre has a dark opening with contrasting drama impressively conjured. They slowly find every detail with some wonderful moments of haunting atmosphere before building through some formidable passages, bringing terrific ensemble and strength. The Scherzando has a wonderfully fluent, quicksilver quality alive to every little twist and turn with so many little subtleties.

This is a masterly performance.

Percussionists Pedro Manuel Torrejón González https://es-es.facebook.com/pedromanuel.torrejongonzalez and Lev Loftus http://jcmf.org.il/artists/lev-loftus join for Béla Bartók’s (1881 - 1945) Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, Sz110.

There is wonderfully hushed timpani at the opening of the Assai lento over which Argerich and Barenboim gently bring the theme. Sudden outbursts send shock waves with this movement building to some wonderfully impressive moments, finding all of Bartók’s rhythmic and harmonic wonders. There is quite thrilling playing here from all these musicians, a great freedom and wonderful panache. The precision between pianos and percussion is impressive with an electricity running right through this performance. These two percussionists provide some wonderfully fleet passages. Combined, they find all of Bartok’s brittle textures before arriving at a powerful peak. There are quieter moments of fine precision and atmosphere before a stunning coda.

In the Lento, ma non troppo percussion set an atmospheric opening to which these two pianists add a slow, finely judged theme, slowly and subtly bringing a more intense rhythmic nature. There is a terrific ensemble between musicians with a magnetism that is remarkable. They move through passages of subtly increasing drama to a finely drawn coda. 

The Allegro non troppo is full of brilliance as they quickly push forward, full of buoyancy, building through complex passages, wonderfully phrased and shaped. There are some lovely subtle phrases where percussionists and each pianist respond to each other to great effect, making sense of Bartok’s complex phrases and brilliant writing before a delightfully done coda.

Two great musicians have come together in the city of their birth to give us the most wonderful musical experience. The live recording is excellent, with my download full of warmth and detail. The enthusiastic applause is kept at the very end. 

These are performances that shouldn’t be missed.